


The Duchess and the Pea

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Anne and Richard: Inspired by Fairy Tales [24]
Category: The Sunne in Splendour - Sharon Kay Penman, The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, F/M, Fairy Tale Retellings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-02-14
Packaged: 2018-05-20 09:10:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6000262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady Anne Neville, the loving and loyal wife to Richard III, had been depicted as frail and weak. Legends had it that she was weak that she could be bruised by a pea.</p><p>But only her husband knows the true story.</p><p>Inspired by the fairy tale "Princess and the Pea"</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Duchess and the Pea

_February 1483_

In a cold winter, Richard the Duke of Gloucester hopped on his horse and departed London. He bid his brother King Edward IV goodbye. The golden giant had grown fat and looked ill. Of course, Richard blamed it on the Queen. In his eyes, the Queen never had any good influence over the King. Although he was disheartened over Edward's decision to kill George, he still cared for his oldest brother very much.

He wasn't sad to leave London though. He had a strong distaste for the rowdy court, especially on Jane Shore, the King's mistress. Shamelessly, she flirted with the King in the presence of the Queen. Not only that, she openly made fun of Lady Anne Neville, Richard's beloved wife and duchess.

"How is the Duchess?" Jane asked, with a goblet of wine in her hand. "You made sure that there isn't any pea under the mattress, Your Grace?"

Howls of laughter followed.

Richard said nothing though he held on the goblet, hard.

Everyone in London envisioned Anne as a weak, frail woman. They compared her fertility with the Queen's. The Queen had bore King ten children, which made Anne's pale in comparison.

No one could judge his Anne.

No one in London truly knows his Anne.

_You made sure that there isn't any pea under the mattress, Your Grace?_

Pea...like anyone can be that frail and sensitive.

Speaking of which, where did this concept that Anne is so weak and frail that a small pea under the mattress would've hurt her came from?

Soon, he began to grin.

His mischievous, clever, and fun wife and duchess...

***

_Winter 1471_

"I like to wed Lady Anne Neville," Richard said to the King in the presence of George and their mother Cecily, Duchess of York.

George coughed uncomfortably.

"You have anything against this George?" The King asked.

"Yes, I do," George muttered. "I advise you against it Dickon. Anne is certainly not suitable to be your wife."

"How can you say that?"

"How can I not?" George said. "I am thinking for your own good Dickon. If you were to wed Anne, then you can gain nothing but trouble."

"Explain that George," Cecily said. "I find it hard to believe that Anne can be a troublemaker."

"When I was with Warwick in France," George began. "Anne was betrothed and wedded Lancaster..."

_Fourteen year-old Lady Anne Neville knelt on the cold marble ground next to Edward of Lancaster as the priest wedded them. Although Edward of Lancaster was three years older than Anne, he did not look like it. In fact, Anne was even a bit taller than he was. While Anne was the dutiful daughter who was willing to make the marriage work, Lancaster was rather shy and uncomfortable with this. After the ceremony, the couple was sent to bed to consummate their marriage._

_The next morning, it was reported that "nothing happened."_

_Same result followed the next day and the day after._

_Both Margaret of Anjou and Warwick were baffled. The lack of marital consummation would make the marriage invalid._

_They summoned Anne and asked her what the issue was._

_Before the French-born Queen and her father, Anne murmured, "There is something in bed. It bruises me and keeps me sleepless at night even. Every part of my body aches and thus it makes it hard for me to consummate the marriage."_

_Immediately, Margaret of Anjou ordered the servants to have the bed examined. After a thorough search, the servants presented the only item under the mattress they found - a pea._

_Margaret of Anjou looked at the pea and then looked at Anne. She could not believe that Warwick's daughter could be so sensitive and so..._

_Angrily she threw the pea away and stormed out._

"...and so there you have it," George finished his story. "Anne will not be easy to have as a wife."

Duchess Cecily seemed to be amused by the story. She looked at Richard and studied his reaction.

"George, I don't believe your tale," Richard said.

"I am telling you the truth!"

"Enough," the King interrupted the argument between his younger brothers. "As long as Lady Anne Neville does not object, I shall approve this marriage."

***

_Spring 1472_

Their wedding was held in Middleham. It was a simple ceremony followed by a decent fest. Anne did not speak much; but she did act like a dutiful wife.

After the fest was over, the couple was escorted to their bedchamber to consummate their marriage. Although he did not believe a word of it, Richard couldn't forget the story George told him. It made him very curious on how the night will turn out.

He pulled up the bed curtain and found Anne in bed waiting for him.

He dropped his robe and climbed into the bed.

Outside their bedchamber, servants and friends were actually listening by the door, eager to hear something that they can use to tease the couple the next day.

They heard noises.

Sounds...a little too rough to be lovemaking...

The bed was rocking...

And there were moaning...or rather it sounded like fighting...

They all looked at one another and wondered, what could be happening in there?

But of course, no one dared to go inside.

They continued to listen hard until finally it quieted down.

And nothing more.

***

The next morning, the Duke and the Duchess rose and greeted their circle of friends. The Duke looked quite refreshing; the Duchess, however, looked more exhausted. The way she walked and moved indicated that she was in pain.

"How was your night?" Anna Lovell asked.

"Not well," she replied. "The mattress is not very good. Something is bruising me and disturbs me from my sleep."

That was exactly the same thing she (supposedly) had said to Margaret of Anjou back in France.

***

As Lord and Lady of the North, Richard and Anne made numerous appearances together. Standing besides her husband, Anne did not smile much. When Richard reached for her hand, she seemed a bit reluctant to place her hand in his. It was difficult to tell exactly what she had in mind by her facial expression alone.

When they returned to the Middleham Castle, Richard stopped on the drawbridge when a valet delivered an important message to him. Seeing that he was standing closer to the edge and noticing that he was not paying attention, Anne acted.

Without a warning, she pushed Richard off the drawbridge into the moat.

Finally, she smiled while seeing her husband struggling in water.

***

If Anne thought she could get away with it, then she was wrong.

After he got himself out of water, Richard ordered that Anne be locked in her bedchamber.

"You are not considering a divorce, are you?" Francis asked him. "Nothing against you Dickon but the North supports you through your marriage to her. You told me that yourself before you married her."

Richard's face hardened.

"I think Clarence may be indicating something else when he said Lady Anne is trouble," Rob Percy chimed in. "She sure is not frail as a flower, easily bruised by a pea."

"You two stay out of this," Richard said evenly. "This is between my wife and I."

He went to Anne's quarter where she was under watch.

He ordered the guards to open the door of her bedchamber and said, "Do not allow anyone within ten feet from this door."

With the door closed behind him, Richard approached Anne, who was sitting on the four poster bed.

"Why did you do that?" He asked coldly.

Anne did not answer.

He unbuttoned his doublet and threw it on the ground.

Anne's facial expression changed.

But whatever was on her mind - it was not Richard's intention.

"You want a rematch?" He asked, rolling his sleeves. "We have a good wrestle on our wedding night but I was easy on you. You have no idea what you are up against."

Anne remained silent, but her gesture showed that she was ready for the challenge.

***

The bedroom was full of noises - tearing, smashing, kicking, groaning, screaming...

In the end, Anne was panting and groaning in pain on the floor. Her gown was torn and she was really bruised this time - badly.

However, it was not the end of it.

She was still on the floor when Richard came to her side. He, on the other hand, was unscathed. He picked her up from the floor and dropped her on the bed face down. Anne winced when he moved her, though in her current condition she was in no shape to resist.

He lifted up her gown and her shift, revealing her buttocks.

Sharply, he spanked her.

Anne did not make a sound.

Not because it didn't hurt, but because she was truly out of energy to make any sound at all.

He continued to spank her until her butt became really, really red.

He stopped and then pulled her laces apart and stripped her dress off.

Anne closed her eyes and tried to ignore everything that is happening. She heard him getting off the bed; went to fetch something; and then came back. Swift, he stripped her shift off. The cold air against her skin did not help her situation. But he was rubbing something on her; and she guessed it was some kind of oil. Immediately, the pain reduced.

"This is something that I use in the battlefield and in martial arts training," he said as he rubbed it on her back. "It's from Persia."

He turned her to lie on her back.

Anne crossed one arm to cover her breasts as he rubbed the oil on her other arm. Only then she realized how many bruises she had sustained.

After he finished applying the oil on her bruises, he put her shift back on.

"Why did you shove me into the water?" Richard asked. "You fought me on our wedding night, and we never get to consummate our marriage. I married you to give you safety and protection. I brought you home and made you Duchess of Gloucester and Lady of the North. And this is how you repay me for my kindness."

Anne turned away. "Marriage is never meant for me."

"Why are you saying that?"

"When Bella married George, she came to my chamber crying," Anne told him quietly. "She was very hurt and upset. She told me how she had been humiliated and how it was all for the sake of my father. It was never for her. She was carrying a child but lost her on the ship. George neglected her ever since. I don't want that to happen to me."

She stopped talking; and Richard could tell she is crying.

"What happened in France? With the pea?"

Instantly she sat up.

"George told me," he said to her. "What really happened?"

"The same thing," she muttered. "Only he wasn't as strong as you. I had him subdued within five seconds. He was scared of me ever since."

Richard was silent for a moment, perhaps trying to hold down his laughs.

"You will stay here until you recovered from your bruises," he said. "I will come again. Then I will decide if your punishment shall continue."

***

Anne quietly stayed in her quarters, doing what she was told. Seven days after, Richard came to her bedchamber.

She sat in bed and watched as he removed all his clothing. He climbed into the bed and peeled off Anne's garments. He laid her down and held her arms over her head. Anne obediently lied there, allowing him to bind her wrists together and tied them to the bed post. Next, he had her blindfolded.

"Feel," he whispered into her ear.

He placed a kiss on her ear, on her face, and then on her shoulder while he rubbed her nipple. His skillful hand teased on body here and there. Richard watched in amusement as she reacted to his touch and teasing. Seeing her nipples became erected, he leaned over to suck on her breasts. Anne gasped and bent her back.

His hand caressed her; traced her curves; and pinched her in between.

Blindfolded, Anne couldn't see what he was doing to her; but she was overwhelmed by the pleasure. When he touched her feminine area, she was tightened up. But his warm strokes relaxed her.

She could feel his weight on top of her; she could feel him nuzzling her neck...

But then suddenly, a sharp pain.

Anne tried to pull away, but no avail.

"Shh," he soothed her and covered her face with gentle kisses.

He thrust into her again and pressed her body against his.

***

It was a passionate night of lovemaking.

He rolled off her body and removed her blindfold. Anne's opened her eyes, big and wide. He untied her hands and wrapped his arm around her. She rested her head against his chest.

"Am I forgiven?" She asked.

"I haven't made my mind yet," he replied. "Kiss me."

"What?"

"Kiss me," he repeated.

She placed a kiss on his lips and then kissed him more on his chest.

"Enough," he stopped her and stroked her hair as she lied on top of him. "Did you like it?"

She nodded.

"Did you want me?"

After a moment of hesitation, she nodded again.

He kissed her on top of the head, stroking her back as she slowly fell asleep against him.

***

The next morning, he woke up with her in his arms; she was already awake.

"Am I pardoned?" She asked.

"Depends on how you answer my question," he replied. "How do you address your husband?"

"My lord Richard?"

"No."

Anne tilted her head. " Dickon?"

"No."

"Richard..."

"Say it again."

"Richard," she muttered, burying her face into his chest.

"Do you want me?"

She nodded.

"Say it."

"I...I want you, Richard."

He rolled her onto her back and made love to her.

Again.

Later on, the couple rose and spent their day as usual.

"How was your night?" Anna Lovell asked her.

"It was well," Anne responded. "No pea under the mattress."

***

_February 1483_

Richard chuckled as he recalled early episodes of their marriage and life in Middleham. He realized how much he had missed her too. The court in London knew nothing about his beloved wife.

Finally, he was home.

There, at the gate, Anne was waiting for him with their small son by her side.

Her belly was swollen with another child; maybe a daughter this time.

She placed her hand in his and they went inside together.

Those who thought the Duchess of Gloucester is a weak, frail woman who can easily be bruised by a pea were certainly wrong.

A few months later, King Edward IV would die after Anne gave birth to a daughter whom they named Cecily; and Richard was named Lord Protector. However, under the intense circumstances, Richard took the throne himself - to protect himself and of course, his wife and children. Anne remained a loving and loyal wife to Richard till the end. The nobilities in the North supported Richard with absolute loyalty due to his marriage to Anne. When Tudor invaded, Anne was pregnant with their third child. She gave birth to a son in the sanctuary as Richard defeated Tudor.

With a bundle in her arms, she received her victorious husband who returned from the battlefield.

Richard presented her a gift: a pea.

It was the exact same pea that Margaret of Anjou discovered under the mattress which she took as the barrier of her son's marital consummation; or supposedly it was.

Anne gave him a hearty laugh.

Rumors has it that the pea is now reserved and on display at a museum in York, England.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Valentine's Day everyone!


End file.
